Astros grab Fields from Red Sox in Rule 5 draft

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Houston Astros took hard-throwing reliever Josh Fields from the Boston system Thursday with the overall first pick in the draft of players left off 40-man rosters.

The 27-year-old Fields was a combined 4-3 with 12 saves and a 2.01 ERA for Triple-A Pawtucket and Double-A Portland. The right-hander struck out 78 and walked 18 in 58 1-3 innings.

There were 15 players picked in the major league portion of the Rule 5 draft. Teams pay $50,000 to select them and must keep them on the big league roster throughout 2013 or offer them back to the original club for $25,000.

Steven Hill, who played nine games for St. Louis last season, was taken by Oakland in the Triple-A phase. He made his major league debut in 2010, homering in his only game that year for the Cardinals. Hill played first base, third base, the outfield and catcher in Triple-A last season.

You May Like

More MLB

Sign Up for our Newsletter

Don't get stuck on the sidelines! Sign up to get exclusives, daily highlights, analysis and more—delivered right to your inbox!